Does Fox Sports Midwest have something against steroid user Mark McGwire?  Or did they want to avoid embarassing the former slugger on TV?

Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the broadcast cut to host Jim Hayes talking to Cardinal’s outfielder Joe Mather just as McGwire was stepping out of a truck and onto the field for the first time in front of the home-town crowd. The broadcast returned after McGwire’s introduction, leading some to believe there was a cover-up in case McGwire was booed.

FSM general manager Jack Donovan said it was a time issue with the broadcast. The ceremonies were at least five minutes behind schedule. Donovan adds that because of the delays, Fox Sports Midwest did not broadcast some commercials and costing them significant revenue.

“It was by far not perfect for us, but we’re covering a live event and at live events things happen,’’ Donovan said. “When you’ve got seven Hall of Famers (on the field) and jets flying over the stadium and ceremonial first pitches and celebrities singing the national anthem, everything got thrown out of whack…. We’re mildly amused that people jumped to the conspiracy thing because that is way out of a spy movie. It was nothing along those lines.’’